The City Is My Church

[fracturedbeauty]

Who: Yukari and Dr. Brennan (Closed)
What: Remembering the events of Pleasant Valley
Where: Near Guard HQ
When: 8/13
Warnings: TBA?


Today is a rather slow day for Yukari and, admittedly, he's bored. Certainly alot more than he would like to be.

Perhaps that's unusual given all of the recent... activities the Gods seemed to be giving them. But things have calmed down, Yukari's world wasn't (thankfully) falling apart at the seams, and things resemble some substandard of normal. Perhaps he should be more grateful for it. But there was something comforting about all of the Chaos, even if it involved a few breakdowns for himself.

Since Curufin is on shift today, and Yukari has been met with endless boredom, he decides, perhaps, to make some lunch for the Elf and is headed down to Guard Headquarters to give it to him. An opportunity to tell the Elf how kind he is and to thank him for his patience. Yukari knows he probably wasn't all that pleasant after the neverending cascade of events. A domino effect that seemed to be triggered by one, simple insecurity argument.

...And then losing his mentor for a second time, and the craziness of.... Well... He'd really rather not remember Pleasant Valley. Thankfully, others he has run into don't seem inclined to bring up what he did during that time. And he's grateful to just let it die with the illusion.

After preparing pan-seared fish with sauteed vegetables (a familiar dish they first shared together), he packs it neatly into a lunchbox with a smaller loaf of bread, and starts heading down toward Guard Headquarters. As he draws near to it, however, he sees someone that seems familiar. He just...

Can't quite put his finger on it? He's not even certain he knows her name. Perhaps he's only seen her in passing? No... No, he's definitely met her before. Hmm...

And as he draws closer to her on his quest to the Headquarters, he finally remembers.

And he visibly freezes. Oh, no... Would she recognise him? God, please don't say she remembers that nightmare.

She had wanted a Dolphin Heirloom, and he had laid it on thick. What's more, he's pretty sure that heirloom is still sitting in his closet. Being one of Curufin's personal creations, it hadn't vanished with the illusion. So, up in the closet it went. To be honest, Yukari wasn't certain that Brennan wasn't one of the false projections of the time. But, here she was.

And Yukari couldn't feel anymore uncomfortable if he tried. He's not naturally flirtatious, much less to anyone except his lover.

Thanks, Gods. Remind him to repay you later for that.

He finally determines to clear his throat, in some small effort to get her attention. He just doesn't know what to say next, mostly to clear his good name. The echoes of his Clone back in February stir within him again, and.... Let's just get this over with.

"Excuse me."

Comments

[notimpervious]

Brennan has an excellent memory, even considering the effects of the Pleasant Valley event, but she has not given much thought to that strange week and the relationships she was made to believe she had in it. That's why she hasn't sought anyone out to discuss it.

She doesn't come by the guardpost much, but her inspection of the armory brings her nearby, and that's where Yukari finds her.

It takes her a moment or two to remember his name, but when she does, she's quick to address him with it. "Mr. Mishakuji?" She gives him a small, friendly smile. "What is a jeweler doing by the armory?"

[fracturedbeauty]

"I am most certainly not a jeweler." He actually folds his arm, tucking the hand that's toting the lunchbox under his other folded elbow. It may perhaps resemble a slight pout, especially when his head cocks just slightly. Being called a jeweler after the remembrance of that time was almost as bad as being called pretty.

"And Yukari is fine. I was just delivering lunch to my... erm, my..." Why are those words still so hard to say? He thought he'd come so much further than this. Looks like kissing in public is not the same as verbally admitting you're with someone, huh? Yukari looks uncomfortable. "Someone in the Guard. I thought he might not have had a warm meal in a long time."

A pause as he glances at headquarters.

"I'll have you know I don't flirt with people. So disregard that entire mess those deities put us under."

The thought of I'm happily married, after all crosses Yukari's mind at that moment, and he flusters a moment in what appears to be shock.

No, he never was married to Curufin. In a way, that sort of hurt. It was nice to be married to the Elf. He wonders if Curufin feels the same about it. Not that he would ever ask. They haven't even been dating a year. Still... it was nice.

Nevermind that, now.

"I just so happen to have that finished heirloom, if you still wanted it. It's back at my house."

[notimpervious]

"Yukari." She repeats it to show that she acknowledges his request. And although she typically misses social cues even if they are pointed out to her, she does understand that he is hesitating on a word for "significant other"--

And she almost says it for him until he glances away. Is someone coming? Oh, no, Yukari is speaking again, and Brennan has missed her chance. Oh well. Perhaps next time.

"Yes, that was a very powerful illusion they managed to create. As if I would ever agree to something as archaic as marriage." She gives a small laugh. "My partner and I are very happy with our home and our daughter. A piece of paper would not make it any better."

Is she oblivious to what's going on between Yukari and his significant other in the guard? Absolutely.

"The hairloom-- oh. The dolphin charm?" Once the city had gone back to normal, she had put that out of her mind. It had not been real, and she already has dolphin heirloom jewelry from her mother, the ring she wears on her right ring finger. "I... had no idea you really worked on it."

And now she can have it. A memory of her mother, made here in this strange dimension.

"Yes, I'd love to have it. I can go pick it up anytime."

[fracturedbeauty]

"Archaic, hmm?" Yukari's not particularly offended by that. Each person has their own preferences. To be honest, he never thought he would date someone, much less desire a union. He holds his hands out in something resembling a shrug. "To each their own of course. As long as your satisfied, it shouldn't matter what others think."

"But yes, Curufin's crafting skills are very real. So it would appear it didn't fade with the illusion." He tightens his grip on the lunchbox in thought for a moment. "Well, then, follow me. I can always deliver this later."

Mostly, he had anticipated spending a little time with Curufin. But the sooner the remnants of that illusion are gone from Yukari's grasp, the sooner he can put the entire thing behind him. He'll just call Curufin to join him for dinner later.

He turns and starts leading the way back to his house.

"So, Temperence-chan, what is it that made you like dolphins so much? Or was that created by the illusion as well?"

An attempt at small talk. He doesn't want to leave silence hanging in the air with someone he shared a rather uncomfortable experience with. He kind of wishes this would be like his double, where he didn't remember most of the clone's actions, even with how embarrassing the ones he did recall were. It was easy to place it behind him because most of the memories were the experience with his now lover. If he had flirted so hard with Curufin, it would have been a much different story. But he flirted with people he didn't know, people who will probably remember the actions of his clone after this illusion. He's not pleased about having to repeat damage control.

[notimpervious]

"Exactly." She is so glad they are agreed.

"Oh. All right." She was not expecting them to go now, but it is certainly fine with her, so she follows along.

The use of 'Temperance-chan' catches her a little off guard. She knows enough Japanese to understand what it implies. (Or at any rate, what she thinks it implies.) It strikes her as a little strange that he is so familiar with her, but in order for both of them to save face, she does not comment on it.

Besides, he has asked her a question.

"No, that is true. I love dolphins." She brushes her thumb against the ring on her right ring finger, the gift her mother always meant to give her on her sixteenth birthday. "My mother loved them too. We would stargaze together when I was young, at the constellation Delphinus, the dolphin. They-- remind me of her." She pauses and glances at Yukari. "I admit I find I'm quite pleased that the heirloom survived the illusion. You described what the end product would be very beautifully."

[fracturedbeauty]

Yukari can't help but look back at her for that mother comment. It actually caused him to think for a moment. He had something he valued from Ichigen, but his own mother... He'd left her entire estate behind, without hesitation. Of course he didn't have anything like that from his mother. If it was in her will, he wasn't there to receive it.

A faintly-sly smirk crosses Yukari's lips.

"Well, it's certainly lucky you have something of such fondness with her. I do hope it'll live up to your expectations."

Soon enough, they make it to his home, unlocking the door before permitting her to enter first.

"Feel free to take a seat. I'll return momentarily."

He disappears down the hall to his bedroom to retrieve the carefully wrapped box from his closet before returning to the living room. He holds the box out to her between his fingers.

Inside is the promised artifact: a seafoam-aquamarine dolphin set into a platinum brooch, with accented pearls that give the feel of ocean waves.

"You said you wanted an heirloom. We supposed a brooch would work best. And it can be altered to a necklace, if you want a chain made for it. Of course, if you had anything else in mind, I'm sure Curufin wouldn't mind making any adjustments to it."

He says it casually enough. He hangs up his coat before he takes the lunch box into the kitchen and begins unloading the contents back into the refrigerator.

[notimpervious]

The slyness of that smirk is too subtle for Brennan to catch onto, but the mention of luck not so much. Still, she does not remark on it, and soon she has a beautiful brooch in her hands.

"It's..." She has to take a moment before she keeps speaking, smiling at it with some degree of sadness. Christine Brennan would have loved it. "It's beautiful."

Looking up at Yukari, her smile widens a little. "Thank you." There is nothing casual in her voice. It means more to her than she can say.

[fracturedbeauty]

Yukari's head actually tilts up a little at the thank you. If he were still the jeweler in the Pleasant Valley experience, it would have been a flourish of But of course~, only the best for you. I'm delighted you enjoy it. But he's not that person. In fact, that thank you doesn't belong to him. Curufin's the one who did all the work. Not that this bothers him in the slightest. He'd rather Curufin have that appreciation than himself. Yukari's not good with... whatever this is. And he doesn't return that smile at all.

"I'll be sure to tell him how much you appreciate it. Though, if you see Curufin, you may want to thank him yourself, as well. I'm sure he would be happy to hear it."

[notimpervious]

"Of course." She sets the brooch back in its box and puts the lid on. "I will."

And now that she has nothing left to do here, she nods once at Yukari.

"I will be going now. I am glad that we ran into each other-- no literally. I meant it in the colloquial sense of meeting by chance."

Okay, now that that's clear--

"I am certain we will see each other again."

[fracturedbeauty]

Yukari chuffs a chuckle as Brennan reiterates her point with the literally comment.

"Well, you're an interesting person, after all." Colour him surprised, though his voice is filled with amusement. "I suppose we will, Temperance-chan."

Small place, after all.

"Do take care~" Though there's less consideration behind it, and more of a teasing prod.

[notimpervious]

She just wants to be clear!!

"Yes, I am." (And modest...) "Ojama shimasu."

She gives a bow, smiles, and heads out, cradling the box with the brooch close to her chest.